Design & Drafting students get real-life experience in architectural design

Dillon Benson (lower right) talks with Geneva Rotary Club members about his project.

Posted: Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 10:35 AM

Southeast Community College
Design & Drafting Technology students are getting the chance to design and
modernize a band shell in Geneva. Members of the Geneva Rotary Club visited
with faculty in the Computer Aided Design Drafting focus on SCC’s Lincoln
Campus and also viewed some of the students’ designs to see how they can spruce
up a piece of history.

“Twenty years from now you
can drive through Geneva and say, ‘this was my idea,’ ” said Harold Janda, one
of the Rotary members. “We have a lot of people in the community who want to do
something with it.”

The band shell was erected
more than 50 years ago and has been used infrequently. In the 1970s it was used
for community music concerts, but has not been used regularly since that time. The
goal is to renovate it and make it useful again.

Students developed a variety
of ideas in their Professional Practice-Architecture class, including an art
gallery, a theater, a stage, and an updated band shell with artwork and a
coffee shop. All of the designs were created on computers in the design labs.

Aaron Williamson came up with
the idea for an outdoor theater, complete with lighting and curtains that can
be removed in the winter.

“I took the idea and ran with
it,” he said.

Nathan Smock’s design had
colorful murals, a new playground and a place for schools to display their
students’ artwork. He also included a handicapped accessible ramp so everyone
can enjoy it.

“The detail work was the most
time consuming,” he added.

Instructor, Todd Roth,
traveled to Geneva to get an up-close look at what they would be designing. He
said this gave them a sense of a project they would be doing once they graduate
from the Design & Drafting program.

“It’s a real project, and
more than likely one of these (designs) will be utilized,” Roth said. “You take
more pride in it that way. They can take their kids to it someday and tell them
about it.”

The Geneva Rotary Club is
currently in the exploratory stage and hopes to have a decision made before
July 4, 2018.

“Right now it’s just sitting
there, and we want to upgrade it, and it would be a benefit to the whole town,”
said Norman Marks, Rotary Club member.

“Things like that will leave
a lasting mark on the community,” Roth added.